Method of applying labels to articles



April 27, 1954 G. w. VON HOFE 2 676,

' METHOD OF APPLYING LABELS T0 ARTICLES Original Filed Dec. 21, 1950 INVENTOR. 60R6E "(Von/ m5 By W ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 27, 1954 METHOD OF APPLYING LABELS TO ARTICLES George W. von Hofe, Bound Brook, N. J assignor to New Jersey Machine Corporation, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application December 21, 1950, Serial N 0.

Divided and this application March 31, 1953, Serial No. 345,883

Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 202,001, filed December 21, 1950, now Patent Number 2,651,429, issued September 8, 1953.

This invention relates to methods of applying labels to articles and has for its primary object the provision of an improved method for applying a label of interrupted area with precision on an article surface. The method of the invention is especially useful for the application of annularlyshaped labels to phonograph records and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of applying a heated thermoactivatable adhesive label on a phonograph record made of thermoplastic material without excessive heating of the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method which will enable the application of an annular label in precise registry with the locating hole in the center of a phonograph disc so that there will be no portion of the label overlapping such hole to interfere with the operation of automatic record changers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of precisely registering an annular label on a phonograph disc or other article by utilizing in such registering operation the hole in the article and the hole in the label.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved method by which an annular label is registered on a phonograph disc in proper relation to the hole in the latter Without the necessity of having on the phonograph disc supporting means, objectionable pin locating means which might damage the disc and interfere with the apparatus feeding the same to such supporting means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved method by which the same device which registers the label on the label carrying means, also registers the label on the phonograph record or other article.

Other objects of the invention, as well as the novel features thereof, will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, illustrating one manner in which the invention may be utilized, namely, for the labeling of phonograph discs;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a suction transfer head utilized in carrying out the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the central portion of a labeled phonograph disc, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a labeled phonograph disc.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally the label to be applied to a phonograph disc H. The label is of annular form having a centrally located hole similar in shape and size to the usual hole in the record I I. On one side of the label 10 is provided a coating of thermoactivatable adhesive material which, when properly heated, will enable the label to adhere to a surface of the record. In the form of the invention disclosed, the labels 10 are formed into an upright stack 12 on a support l3 to which is connected any conventional elevating means for-raising the stack [2 of labels at periodic intervals to thereby restore the top label in the stack to a predetermined height, and thus maintain the top labels at a substantially constant feeding level. Extending through the central portion of the support I3 is an adjustable label registering pin 14 which passes upwardly through the holes in the centers of the labels to a point slightly above the uppermost label in the stack when the support 13 is in its lowermost position to receive a stack of predetermined height. It will be understood, that as the support I3 is raised by-the elevating means, the pin 14 remains stationary so that the upper end of the pin is always in the same position relative to the topmost label throughout the range of upward movement of the support I3.

.In accordance with the invention, the labels l0are fed from the stack or store thereof on the support l3 which may be stated to be the source of label supply to a support I5 by means of a pick-up device of the suction-operated type which is designated generally in the drawings by the numeral 16. After a label 10 has been deposited upon the support 15, a label carrier or transfer device, designated generally by the numeral 11, transfers thelabel from such support I5 to the phonograph record ll mounted on a suitable support, such as for example, the article supporting means designated 18 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Inasmuch as in this machine, the labels to be applied to the article by the transfer device I! are obtained from the support E5 to which they are successively fed by the pick-up device l6, such support l5 may be considered as constituting a label supply or transfer station for the labels so transmitted to the articles.

The label applying means in which the above mentioned devices are embodied, may be of any Well known type and for the purposes of illustrating the invention, such parts have been shown as embodied in a labeling machine, such as is described and illustrated in the Von Hofe Patent No. 2,227,816, issued January 7, 1941. In such a machine, there is provided a carriage 20 (note Fig. 1), slidably mounted on a horizontal guide rail 2| supported on the frame of the machine.

The carriage 20 is reciprocated lengthwise of the 3 rail 24 in predetermined timed sequences by mechanism exemplified in Fig. l of the drawings, by the rod 22, which is pivotally connected at 23 to the carriage. A member or plunger 24 is slidably mounted on the carriage 20 and is vertically reciprocated thereon in properly timed relation with the associated parts by mechanism exemplified in Fig. l of the drawingsby the roller'25 which is adapted to travel along a horizontallyextending track 26 which is arranged to be raised and lowered to reciprocate the member24. The downward movement of the member 24 may be facilitated by a vertically-disposed spring 21 which is connected at its lower end to the carriage 2t and at its upper end to a lug 28 on the member 24. The spring 21 however, may be omitted in some instancesand gravity alone depended upon to accomplish the downward movementof the member 24 when the track 26 is lowered. Secured to the lower end of the member 241s the label carrier or transfer device 11. Also supported in predetermined spaced relation to the transfer device i! on the member 24 is the pick-up or label feed device 16. The pick-up device may be mounted in any suitable fashion on the member 24, as-by a supporting bracket 29 integrally connected at one end to the member 24 and provided at its other end with adepending portionfifi, to the lower end of which is, secured the pick-up device It.

t willbe-understood from the parts of the label machine thus far described, that when in the operation of the machine, the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. ,l, the track 26 is in a lowered position, the pick-up device Hiis in position to pick up a label from the stack or store iii of labels it, andthe transfer device I! is in a position toreceive a label In which has been deposited on the support H in the previous operation of the carriage 253. .Both the devices l6 and ii are of thesuction type and are connected by tubes 3| and32, respectively, with a convenient source of suction which is controlled by properly timedvalving means of any suitable typeso that suction .is affected at the label supporting surfaces of such devices while they are positioned asshown in Fig. 1,-.and= until just before the labels carried thereby have been depositedon the support [5 and the article i l, as will hereinafter appear ,more .clear. .When a label it has been drawn from thestackl2 by the pick-up device and a labelhas been taken fromithesupport l5 by the transfer device 11, the track=26 is raised to elevate themember 24 and consequentlythe devices it and l-lwithth labels thereon. The carriage 29 is then caused to move-to the.left,-as viewed in Fig. l of the drawings, to bring the pick-up device Iii over the support l5 and the transferdevice i1 over the article tl which has previously been placed onthe support [8 in label receiving position.

The spacing of the stack support l3, support 55 and support it is correlated with relation to thespacing of devices l6 and H on the member 24 to bring the parts accurately into the positions above described. Whenthe parts are in the said positions, the track 26 is lowered and the member 24 moves downwardly on the'carriage to thereby cause the pick-up device IE to deposit the label carried thereby on the support l5 and to cause the transfer device [1 to deposit its label upon the article I l. J ustprior to the depositing of the labels on the support I5 and the article H, the-suction in the devices It and H is discontinued. Following such depositing of the-labels, the

such labels.

the parts back to the positions shown in Fig. l of th drawings to repeat the operations above described.

Incarrying out the above described sequence .of operations, the valving means controlling the suction in the devices 16 and I! is so timed that during the retracting movement of such devices and until the label supporting surfaces of device i6 are again in contact with a label on the support 13 and the label supporting surface of the device I! is poised just'above a label on the Support If), th suction on such devices discontinued. Upon the attaining of such positions of the label supportingsurfaces of the devices It and I? however, suction is provided in such devices-to hold the labels to the label supporting surfaces thereof, and such suction is maintained during thenext advancing movement of such devices and until-such devices are just above, but in spaced relation to the support l5 and the article on support E8. The label carrying surface of the support I5 is provided with a plurality of perforations or air vents which communicate by means of passages 33 with a chamber 3 3 formed within-such-support. The chamber is connected by means of a tube 35 with a source of air supply. Suitable valve means are provided to control the air supply to the chamber 34 so as to provide a condition of suction in such chamber and consequently at the label carrying surface of th support It when a label is delivered to such surface by the label pick-up or feeding device I6 and until such device is to be delivered to the transfer device I' l. The valve means is also constructed and arranged to deliver compressed air into the chamber 34 to blow the deposited label it into contact with the label carrying surface of the transfer head ll when the latter is properly positioned in label receiving position with relation to the support 55. Due tothe fact that a label on support I5 .is deposited thereon so that its thermoplastic coating is in engagement with the label carrying surface of such support and the fact that the label carrying surface of the transfer device if is heated, as will hereinafter he explained, the label carrying surface of the transfer device does not contact with the label on the support, but in the pick-up position of such device is slightly spaced therefrom, as has been previously explained, to prevent the labels adherence to the support.

The label carrying surface of the pick-up device Hi is of such form as to enable it to engage with the topmostlabel in the stack I2 without interfering with the pin Hi extending through As is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, such label carrying surface may be formed by means of a pluralityof suction cups 36, so arrangedon device it as to be spaced from the pin l4 and to engage portions of the topmost label It] spaced from the central hole thereof. The suction cups 36 are of such depth that the device I6 will not engage with the upper end of the pin i i when the mouths thereof are engaging the topmost label andare connected by paszsxageways in the body of the device 16 to the tube As is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 of the draw- "ings,the suction head ii comprises a main body portion or plate Ail provided atits lowerend with a dove-tailed seat which extends centrally between the ends of the plate and transversely of the suction heads path of travel between support or station I5 and the label applying station. Formed in the upper surface H of the dove-tailed seat is a recess 42 having predetermined dimen-- sions and shape; the same being determined in part by the surface area of the largest label which the head is designed to carry. The recess 42 is connected by a passageway 43 formed in the upper portion of plate 40 and the plunger 24, to th tube 32. The plate 40 carries a heating device composed of a pair of electrical resistance elements 44, 44, which are connected with a source of electricity by the wires 45, and which are controlled by a thermostat 46 to maintain the plate 49 at a predetermined temperature.

Fitted in the dove-tailed seat of the plate 40 is a dove-tailed metal plate 41 whose lower end of reduced area projects below the bottom surface of the plate 40 and whose upper surface closes the lower open end of the recess 42 to form a suction chamber. Extending through the plate 41 are a multiplicity of transverse, vertically-disposed passageways 48 which are in communication with the suction chamber and which terminate at the lower face of the plate 41. Centrally mounted in plate 41 is a pin 49 which projects downwardly therefrom, a distance greater than the thickness of the phonograph disc II. Pin 49 is preferably made of a heat insulatable material such as Bakelite or compressed asbestos, so that it does not absorb a substantial portion of the heat in plates 41 and maintains a temperature substantially conform ing to that of room temperature. It will be understood however, that pin 49 may be made of any other material and may not be solid but provided with one or more passageways therethrough, and through plate 41 to the suctio chamber 4'2, so that air at room temperature passes through such pin while suction is applied at chamber 42 to maintain such pin at a temperature substantially less than that of plate 41. The downwardly projecting end of pin 49 for a portion of its length preferably has a cross-sectional area substantially the same as the area of the holes on the labels I and the phonograph discs II. The remaining outer portio of pin 49 is of tapered configuration terminating in a rounded outer 1 end as can be seen more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Provided in supports I5 and I8 are recesses 50 and 5|, respectively, having a depth greater than the length of the projecting portion of pin 49 and a cross-sectional area substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of such portion of pin 49 and adapted to receive such pin when the suction device I1 is lowered to such supports in the operations of the machine.

It is believed that an understanding of the operation of the invention will be obtained from the above description, but it may be advisable to point out that when a label III is deposited on the label supporting surface of support I5, the suction effective at such surface will cause the label to adhere thereto. When the transfer device I1 is lowered to the point where the pin 49 thereof has partially enteredthe hole in the label, suction at the surface of support I5 will be discontinued. Thus, as the transfer device continues its downward movement with the pin 49 passing through the hole in the label, the label will be shifted by the tapered sides of pin 49 to properly register it with the label carryingsurface of such device, if the label. is nottalready 6 in that condition. The pin 49 passes through the label and into recess 50 of support I5 until the label carrying surface of device I1 is poised just above and in spaced relation to the exterior face of the label. Compressed air will thereupon be passed through tube 35, chamber 34 and the air passage 33 to blow the label into contact with the spaced lower surface of plate 41 of device I1 where it will be held by the suction effective at such surface at that time. The transfer device I1 with the label thereon will then be lifted from the support I 5, shifted by the carriage 20 over the record disc II on support I8 and then lowered to deposit the label upon the record disc. During the travel of the transfer device I1 from support I5 to the record II, the label I0 carried thereby is heatedby the heating means 44 in plate 49 thereof to adhesively activate the thermoplastic coating o such label. Consequently, when the transfer device I1 is lowered at the applying station to bring the label I0 with its heat activated thermoplastic coating into engagement with the upper surface of the phonograph disc II, the label will be caused to adhere to such surface of the disc. In the descent of device I1 at such label applying station and when its downward movement has reached the point where the pin 49 has just engaged the hole in the record I 0, the suction in said device is discontinued. As the device I1 continues its downward movement, if the disc and label are not in proper registry, the tapered sides of the pin 49 on such device will shift the record II to bring them into proper registry. The operation is facilitated by 7 the rigidity of the edge which defines the hole in the record disc II. As the device I1 ends its downward movement with the pin passed through the record I I and projecting into the recess 51 of support I8, the upper projecting portion of such pin, which is of an area to snugly fit the holes in the label and record disc, will bring the edges of such holes into precise registration with no overlapping of the label on the hole of record I I. The lower face of plate 41 on the device I1 will then press the label into adhesive connection with the upper surface of the record disc I I. During this pressing operation any air between the label and the record disc will be squeezed out at both the inner and outer peripheries of the label so that the label will become uniformly adhered to the record disc throughout its entire area. The transfer device I1 is then returned to support I5 in the manner previously described to transfer another labelfrom such support to the opposite side of the record or to a new record I I. While I have hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred method of carrying out my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in such method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. Thus, while it is believed that the aperture SI of support I8 is sufficient to serve not only to receive the pin 49 as a label is applied to a record, but also as, a guide for placing records on such support, additional guide means may be provided on support I8 to position a record in approximately accurate position on such support without interferring with any shifting action of such record caused by pin 49 as the transfer device I1 is lowered. to apply a label thereto. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the method may be successfully employed for the application of other types of labels than'those aperture of a label .ported article to which coated with thermoactivatableiadhesive material. It .will also beobvious ato thosefskilled in the :art thatthe method'may .belsatisfactorily carried out 'tutilizing other apparatus than the apparatus herein particularly:described andzmayfbe carried .out by hand utilizing a registeringapin'lor pressing member, such as aaflat' iiron witht airegistering pin provided on it.

I claim: 1. The :method of applying Iflexible, :fr agile afplace spaced fromthe into exactiregistry with a heated surface; holding the label in registered condition against such heated-surface to heat the label, then While holdingjthe label inarsgis tered engagement with such heate'd surface inserting theregistering pin intotheaperture in the surface of theshiftably supportediarticle to -which the label is to :be applied to bring such surface of the shiftable'article into registry with the label so that the edges of'...the apertures thereof are precisely registered, and pressing the label into contact with the article with the heated surface while maintaining the registry 'of the 'label and the --article, said insertion of the pin into the article aperture, registering the label and the article andpressing the label on the article, all being accomplished in continuous and progressive fashion and with such pressure as to securely adhere the label'to the surface of'the article.

2. The method of applying flexible, fragile 'apertured labels to articles having in a rigid surface thereof an aperture similar in shape and size to the aperture of suchlabels, comprising placing the article in shiftable condition on a support, inserting a-registeringipin through the at a place spaced from the article to bring the label into exactregi'stry with a pressing surface, rendering adhesive the article engaging surface of the'label while the label is in registry with the pressing surface, then while holding the label'in registered engagement with such surface inserting theregistering' pin into the aperture in 'thesurface of the shiftably supthe label is to be applied to bringsuch surface ofthe shiftable article into registry with the label so that the edges of the apertures thereof are precisely registered, and pressing the label into contact with the article while maintaining the registry of the label-and the article, said insertion of the pin into the article aperture, registering the label and the article and pressing the label on the article, all being accomplished in continuous and progressive fashion and with such pressure as to securely adhere the label to the'surface of the'article.

3. The method of applying flexible, fragile labels'to articles having registering 'meanspr'ovided on a rigid surface thereof outside the area of such surface to which a label is to'be adhered, comprising placing the article in 'shiftable 'com dition ona support, taking 'a'label which is exactly registered in fixed position on a surface of alabel carrier, and'rendering adhesive the article engaging surface of the label, and then while holding the label in such fixed registered engagement with such carrier surface moving the label relative to theshiftableobject to c'ause'the' registering means on the carrier'to inte'rengagethe -::-registering:means .onithe surface of the shiftsareapwhilemaintaining the registry of such surface area andthelabel, said. interengagement of @the registering means, registering the label and -.immediately:after-.such adherence of the label.

,thewarticle andpressing thevlabel' on the article,

mall-being accomplishedin continuous and prozwgressive fashion: and :With such :pressure as to securely adhere the labeltothe surface of the article.

-4..The method of applying flexible, fragile q labels .to-art1cles having registering means provideid ion :arigid -surface thereof outside the area of such-surface to-which a label is to be adhered, comprising placing the article in shiftablecon- 'ditionon a support,rtaking a label whichv isiexactly registered infixed position on a surface ofa label-carrier: and while. holding the label in. such fixed iregistere'd engagement with such carrier surface moving the. label relative to the shiftable object'tocause the registeringmeans on the carliIieI-CtO interengaget-the registering means on the surface of the shiftably supported article to bring thefarea of such article surface to which the. label is, to be "adhered into 1 proper 'zregistry 'with the label,;pressing the label intoxcontact with such article surface area while maintaining the *registryof such surfacearea and'the label, and

heating the:'registered.;label .on-cthe carrier while maintaining theiregisteringmeans of the latter at a lower temperaturefthan that'to which'the label ist-subjected sothat'the'label is applied to the article surface: in heated condition while the article is'not directly subjected to such heat throughlthei registering means/said interengagement of the registering. means, registering the label and the articleand pressing the'label on :the article, .all being accomplished in continuous and irprog'res'sive fashion and 'with 'pressure astltosecurely a'dhere the label to thesurface of {the article and'said registering means being disengaged and the carrier separated from the label L' 5."I'he' ir'neth'od of :applying :fiexible, fragile phonograph :discs and the like,

vtion on .a support, inserting a registering pin registry 'withzaflatrpressing surface, rendering adhesive the article engaging surface of the label I whilethelabel is in registry'with the flat pressing surface, then'iwhileholding thelabel in registered engagement" With'such flat surface inserting the registering pin into the aperture of the disc to bring the. surface of the latter'to which the label is to beiapplied' into registry with the label with the edges'ofthe-apertures thereof precisely registeredfand pressing the label intocontact'with the disc while maintainingthe registry of the label 'and the 'disc, said insertionofthe pin into the disc, registeringithe label and the disc, and pressing' -the label on :the :disc, all-being accomplished 'in continuous and prog'ressive fashion and with such-pressure as to securely adhere the label to t the "surface iofi the disc.

I Name "Date '.2;300;185 "Von I-Iofe Oct. 27,1942 "22578329 VonHofe Dec. 11, 1951 

